What causes diabetes type 2
According to the causes diabetes of the first type is subdivided into:
- Autoimmune
- Idiopathic
Autoimmune diabetes is caused by abnormalities in the immune system. In this case, the organism develops antibodies damaging the insulin producing cells of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Virus infections, some toxic substances, such as nitrose amines and pesticides, promote the development of autoimmune process.
The causes of idiopathic diabetes mellitus of the first type are not established.
The causes of diabetes type 2 include hereditary predisposition and external factors. Hereditary predisposition plays an important role; however, environmental factors are of leading significance.
Let's consider these factors:
- Genetic predisposition. The patients having relatives affected by diabetes bear higher risk of occurrence of this disease. The risk of development of diabetes mellitus if one of the parents is affected constitutes from 3 to 9 %.
- Obesity. In overweight and large amounts of fatty tissue accumulation, especially in abdominal type, sensitivity of body tissues to insulin is reduced and it facilitates the development of diabetes mellitus.
- Eating disorders. Consumption of much carbohydrates and lack of dietary fibre results in obesity and increases the risk of diabetes development.
- Chronic stressful situations. The condition of stress is accompanied by the increased catecholamine levels in blood. Such catecholamine compounds as adrenaline, noradrenaline, glucocorticoids promote development of diabetes.
- Atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension reduce the sensitivity of tissues to insulin.
- Some medications possess diabetogenic action. Among them are glucocorticoid synthetic hormones, diuretics, particularly thiazide diuretics, some hypotensive preparations, antineoplastic medications.
- Autoimmune diseases (autoimmune thyroiditis, chronic insufficiency of the adrenal gland cortex) favor the development of a diabetes.
The amount of glucose in blood on an empty stomach that does not exceed 6.1 mmole/l is considered normal. The amount of glucose from 6.1 up to 7.0 refers as broken glycemia on an empty stomach. And the glucose levels on an empty stomach more than 7.0 detected for the first time is considered as the preliminary diagnosis of diabetes.
The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus should be confirmed by repeated determination of glucose in blood in several days, carrying out the test of tolerance to glucose, and determination of the level of glycated hemoglobin in blood.